you wouldn't have guessed what these are if i didn't tell you....they look like some creative displays in an art exhibition, or some colourful floats for a street parade (known as "chingay" in singapore), perhaps some kids' school project. many other guesses might have popped up in your mind, before you'd even begin to think of these as.... coffins!
yes, that's what these colourful multi-shaped displays are - coffins - made in ghana, south africa. came across a short article in the chinese newspapers yesterday, decided to look up the web for more images. amazing how some cultures treat death as taboo-topic, while some others regard it quite differently, almost like a celebration.
"For the Ga tribe in coastal Ghana, funerals are a time of mourning, but also of celebration. The Ga people believe that when their loved ones die, they move on into another life -- and the Ga make sure they do so in style. They honor their dead with brightly colored coffins that celebrate the way they lived." (taken from ghanaweb.com)
all these odd-shape-coffins eg. shoes, cars, animals, hammers, fruits, cigarette butts, beer/coke bottles, mobile phones etc. (there was even one of a uterus!) are custom-made to remember the dead for their contribution to the society, their business nature, their profession, hobby or their penchant for a particular object. don't come cheap though - ranging from US$500-600 on average.
wonder if there's one created like a louis vuitton/ gucci bag?
interesting, very interesting.
other links:
- ghanaweb.com
- bbc news
- fantasy coffins
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